Christmas is coming
Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Lirum woke to find hogwarts covered in several feet of glistening snow. The view from their window showed the lake froze solid sunshine barley creeping over and through. The tree they had met Tonks under had long since lost its leaves. But still lirum had to brave the cold to see their friends. Tonks and Cedric where both preparing to leave for Christmas break and the Weasley twins were still insisting they could win a game of Wizards chess before they leave.
On their way to breakfast they saw the twins crouched, hiding behind the fountain in the courtyard. That gave Lirum an idea, it was their turn to scare the twins. They snuck up from behind while they where preoccupied seemingly bewitching a large pile of snowballs.
“Sneak Attack!” Lirum screamed tackling the boys to the ground.
“Aaaaaah” they Weasleys screamed together. Both duly frightened by Lirum’s sudden attack.
“What’d you go and do that for Bunny?” Fred said, turning to look at the fluffy green haired Ravenclaw giggling and playing in the snow.
George picked himself up out of the snow, and offered a hand to his brother pulling him up as well. He sent a playful glare at the Ravenclaw rolling in the snow. Lirum couldn’t stop laughing looking at the twin shaped imprints on the snow to either side of them.
“It’s just a little bit of payback! For all the times you two came together to scare me through the year.” Lirum said scooping a handful of snow to throw at the boys.
“Well, come on Thumper, hop to it out of the snow.” George teased, pulling them back up and out of the snow.
“Can you really blame me, how many chances do I get to do that? Speaking of chances, how many days do you have till you go home for break? You only have till then to beat me, remember?” Lirum asked, trying to shake off the remaining snow on their robes.
“None.” The twins' confused confusion flooded Lirum.
“You’re leaving today! But we were supposed to have more time!” Lirum
“Oh, say it like that and we might start to think you wanted to be our friend.” George teased wrapping an arm around lirum
“We’re in luck you see, our parents decided to visit our brother Charlie in Romania. Which means we get to stay here.” Fred said, slipping his arm under George’s across Lirum’s back.
“And that means we get to spend Christmas with our dear friend…what was your name again, ah Thumper!” George said earning a jab from lirum this time.
“Oh enough! What were you two up to anyway.” Lirum questioned looking back at the pile of snowballs they had gathered.
“Charming snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around.” The twins said in tandem before setting them free. One going straight for him bouncing off the back of his turban. Before he could look, the twins grabbed and dragged them towards the great hall.
The hall looked spectacular. Professors Flitwick and McGonagall were going around the room using their magic to decorate while the burly groundskeeper Hagrid dragged in the last tree. Holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.
“It’s time for another game, isn’t it?” Lirum asked but didn’t receive an answer. Worried they turned to face the ginger boys. The boys shared a look and nodded.
“We want to wait till Christmas.” George said, nodding arms crossed.
“Don’t you think it’s a bad idea wasting the time you have like that?” Lirum asked, confused.
“No, we have a plan.” Fred replied Crossing his arms and nodding, mirroring George.
“I feel the need to remind you that you have to beat me fair.” Skeptically the Ravenclaw looked at the twins trying to figure out their plan.
“We would also like to invite you to Christmas in the Gryffindor common room.” The twins coursed once again.
“That would never be allowed, and even if it was, I doubt Percy would allow it.” Lirum said more confused than ever.
“Christmas is the only time of year inter house commingling in the common rooms is allowed.” George started.
“Pinhead can’t say no if he wanted to. It’s the rules!” Fred finished.
Time passed like a blur. Cheering on Cedric for the last Hufflepuff game and talking with Tonks. Soon enough both Hufflepuffs were out of the castle leaving only the horde of Gingers and a few other scattered students. Before they knew it, it was time for their last meeting with Percy before Christmas. This time when they entered the library, he was the one waiting for them.
“Lirum I’m glad to see you’re here.” Greeted Percy still looking more tired than before but thankfully more rested.
“Me too, I hope you’re doing better, I know it doesn’t mean much but you look better.” Lirum replied, earning a small chuckle from Percy. They took their regular seat across the table.
“I should apologize for last time. The way I acted. It wasn’t appropriate given my position. As well I shouldn’t have stormed out, your time is important as well, I could have handled it later.” Percy spoke, taking his glasses off to clean them.
“Percy, you’re not a prefect during our study sessions, remember. There is no given my position. Your just some posh boy from Devon.” Lirum teased hoping to lighten Percy’s uptight mood.
“You can pretend I’m not a prefect to feel more comfortable, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have to hold myself to our standards. And I am not posh- “the older boy started, but lirum cut him off.
“Are we really going to do this? Pompous then? You act like a proper Torie sometimes. Can’t even have a conversation about what’s wrong.” they said, crossing their arms.
“I-N-no, what has gotten into you. I don’t act like a Torie. I act exactly like I’m supposed to. I act like a prefect, like someone who’s going to be head boy, like someone who’s going to be minister of magic one day should.” Percy defended.
“And who said you should act like this because you’re far stricter than any other prefect. This is certainly not the standard they follow.” Lirum insisted on pushing to get a real answer out of Percy.
“They're not aiming to be minister of magic one day. I have to work hard. I have to be prepared; I have to be top of my class, prefect, head boy, minister of magic. That’s what I have to become. True success through hard-work and dedication.” Percy listed his memorized list of steps to his future.
“But do you want that? it doesn’t seem to be making you very happy. You’re so stressed I can physically see it” lirum insisted.
“Of course, I want this! I can do this; I will be good enough!” Percy yelled, beginning to turn red from anger.
“Percy you are good enough as is. You can’t keep pushing yourself so hard.” Lirum said realizing something deeper was wrong than just a couple first years causing trouble.
“If I start slacking mum-“Percy tried to defend only to be cut off again.
“So, it’s your mother. She’s why you're doing this to yourself. You're gonna crack if you keep piling on more pressure.” Lirum said confidently as they found the reason Percy was taking on too much responsibility.
“No! I’m doing this because I want a good life! To be able to take care of my family! Not all of us are born into families with money! Some of us have to work for what we want!” Percy shouted and slammed a hand on the table as he flew from his seat, chair skidding behind him. Before he could say anything else he froze and paled.
“You’re right I don’t know what it’s like to have to take care of family. I guess you could call all of us who lost their parents in the war lucky, by that standard. I do know what it’s like to work for what you have. Despite the fact we have money, it’s my grandfathers you know, from working as a wand maker. Do you think the wands make themselves? It’s a craft I spend every hour outside of this castle learning. In the hopes I’ll be good enough to help one day.” Honestly lirum had thought of going home spending Christmas with their grandfather. Their time would be full of learning about wand making, and chess games they should have lost. But they hoped at Hogwarts it would be laughter and time with their friends.
“I’m sorry that was out of line.” Percy said fidgeting with his glasses. Refusing to make eye contact with the Ravenclaw across the table.
“You don’t need to apologize to me, ok Percy. You’re under a lot of pressure. I see that a lot clearer now. From now on don’t hold yourself to any ‘standards’ other than just being Percy, at least with me ok. And do me a favor and talk to me about it instead of shouting next time.” Lirum tried to keep it light while still getting their point across.
“I don’t know if I can do that.” Percy said inspecting his glasses.
“Not holding yourself to the perfect prefect or minister of magic is kind of the point Percy. Saying you don’t know you’ll be able to, not being perfect is progress. This whole acting like a prick to distract me thing won’t work anymore I’ll call you in it if you try.” Lirum challenged.
“I believe you’ve always called me on it. You were never scared, maybe you should have been a Gryffindor.” Percy said, putting his glasses back on.
“You should probably stop that as well.” Lirum said, earning a puzzled look from Percy.
“That was a compliment. If you’re still bothered by what I said when we met about not being a Raven-“ Percy was cut off before he could apologize again.
“You already apologized for that. Your being too hard on yourself. But you didn’t just say where I didn’t belong, but also what house you should’ve been in. I’m trying to take the advice from a friend of mine. We don’t have to be our house; we don’t have to fit the idea of who we were supposed to be, we just need to be us, got it this is our life to live not theirs.” Lirum said remembering the day at the lake, and the occasional reminder from Tonks ever since, any time lirum got a little to Ravenclaw.
“Your friend sounds a lot smarter than us.” Percy admitted pushing up his glasses.
“They are. Hey, when it warms up, I think we should take a trip to the lake. Do you think we could study out there one day?” Lirum said unsure of where to go from here. Tonks just seemed to know what they needed, but they didn’t have that experience. So instead, Lirum said what they felt he needed to hear.
“I don’t see why not. A change of scenery might help and, it’s not like it won’t be quite out there.” Percy said.
“Thank you for not fighting me in this.” Lirum said.
Though that statement had many meanings, but they had no plan to elaborate, and Percy seemed content with whatever meetings he found in them. After that the pair moved on to actually studying. Exams were coming after all and prefect and Ravenclaw aside neither of the pair would neglect something that important. But with most of their time already used arguing it ended as fast as it came.
“Unfortunately, it appears it’s time for you to go back to class.” Percy said glancing out of the library window.
“Oh, it seems you’re right, well you’re staying here too, right? I assume that means I’ll be seeing you on Christmas. After all, I'll be in your common room.” Lirum said, collecting their things.
“The Gryffindor common room, on Christmas?” Percy questioned.
“The twins invited me. They said Christmas was the only time we were aloud in other common rooms. Was that another prank, if so, it’s a rather awful one.” Lirum explained
“No, what they said is true. Although it’s supposed to be for students with family in other houses. I’m sure it couldn’t hurt, you wouldn’t cause trouble for me.” Spoke Percy taking off his glasses once more.
“What’s wrong?” Lirum asked. They had noticed every time he seemed nervous he reached for his glasses. And this would be their test.
“I thought you said you weren’t close with the twins. Why did they invite you if you're not friends?“ Percy spoke honesty which relieved lirum it meant he kept true to his word, and they now knew his tell.
“We weren’t close before. We’ve been getting a lot closer recently. Funny enough we had never really talked before the day you caught us together. But at any rate I should get going.” Lirum said finally gathering the last of their things so they could get to their final classes before break.
“Wait! Lirum!” Percy said before they made it out of the room stopping at the door.
“Yes Percy?” They replied.
“I look forward to seeing you at Christmas.” A small warm smile was shared between the two before lirum replied.
“Look forward to seeing you too, take care Percy.” They said before disappearing off to their next class.